Gate



R. L. DURHAM GATE Nov. 24, 1925. 1,563,266

Filed June 19, 1922 lll/111111111111111 Patented Novf24, 1925. 7

narran stares ist ROBERT LEE DURHAM, 0F BUENA VISTA, VIRGINIA.

GATE.

To ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, Ronun'r LEn DURHAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buena Vista, in the county of Rockbridge and Statefof Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe present invention relates to gate structures and has for its principal object the provision of means in connection with a gate whereby after the gate has been opened manually or otherwise lit will be closed automatically within any desired time without the necessity of further action on the part of the operator..

The invention in its preferred form, which is now in practical use, consists in general of a gate which is mounted to swing or oscillate vertically on a horizontal axis located near one end of the gate. At this end the gate structure is provided with a drum or casing adapted to receive a iiuid, the casing being arranged in such relationship to the axis of oscillation of the gate that when the gate is opened the liquid will be caused to flow from its normal position on one side of the axis of oscillation of the gate to the opposite side of the axis of oscillation whereby to shift the preponderance of weight of the gate structure so that it will be maintained in its open position. end with counterbalancing means so that it may oscillate freely on its axis, and, therefore, only sutcient force is necessary in opening the gate to overcome the weight of the Huid in the drum. The casing containing the fluid is so constructed that the fluid which by the raising of the gate has been shifted to the opposite side of the axis v of oscillation of the gate is now permitted to flow back through certain valve-controlled ports in the casing to the other or original side of the axis of oscillation, thus shifting the preponderance of weight of the gate structure to this side and automatically causing the descent orl closing of the gate.

In order that the time within lwhich the gate will automatically return to its normal or horizontal closed position may be varied as desired, adjustable means are provided to control the slowness or rapidity with which the fluid which causes the closing of the'gate may flow back to its original The gate is also provided at thisV Application led June 19, 1922. `Serial No. 569,260.

position in the drum, that is, the position which it assumes when the gate is closed.

The horizontal shaft on which the gate proper, together with the drum, oscillates, is mounted in the upper ends of vertical standards forming part of a concrete or other base which latter is arranged so that its upper face. is slightly above the ground and carries the entire gate structure. Spring means are also provided on the drum end of the gate which are adapted to engage with the base when the gate is swung up into vertical position so that the upward movement of the gate is limited by cushioning or yielding means which prevent undue jar as the gate comes to rest in its vertical or open position.

In the accompanying drawing, which shows the preferred embodiment of the invention as now actually used but to which it is not intended to limit the invention, like reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.y

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the gate in its normal or closed position, the drum or casing to which the gate structure proper is attached -`being clearly shown at the right hand side of the ligure, while at the left there is shown an ordinary post and latch mechanism located thereon with which the opposite end of the gate engages in order to maintain it in closed position,

Fig. 2, a fragmentary vertical section, taken through the gate drum and its associated parts, showing the lfluid in the. position it occupies in the drinn when the gate is closed,` Y

Fig. 3, a similar view showing the position which the fluid occupies in the drum shortly after the gate has been raised to its open or vertical position and the fluid has begun to flow from one part of the drum to the other in order to bring about the lowering of the gate, and

Fig, 4, a sectional view, taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing more clearly the construction of the fluid-controlling valve means.

The gate structure, as shown in the drawing, comprises a. concrete or other base 1 having its upper face projecting somewhat above the level of the ground and provided with two integral vertical standards 2, 3. Located on the upper extremities of standards 2, 3, respectively, and firmly attached thereto are lower journal members 4, 5. The drum or casing G of the gate, which contains the controlling fluid, is located between the two standards 2, 3 and. in order that it may be mounted for oscillation between said standards, it is provided on its sides with |horizontal stub shafts 7, 8, rigidly secured thereto and resting in the lower journal members t. 5, respectively. Stub shafts i', 8 and the drum 6 are maintained in proper position in the lower journal members 4. 5 by upper journal members 9, 10 which cooperate with and are securely bolted to the lower journal members 4, 5, respectively. The outer or ybarrier portion of the grate is firmly secured to drum (i and may be oi" any desired form. As shown .iu the drawing, Fig'. 1, it comprises a plurality of horizontal members 11 securely bolted to drum 6 at their inner ends. Horizontal members 11 are connected by several vertical members 12, all of said members beine' rigidly secured together at their meeting' pointsin order to provide a rigid construction. The outer end of the gate is provided with a latch member 13 which. when the grate is closed or brought into horizontal position, engages with a latch 111, located on the top of the post 15, and thereby secures the gate in closed position.

Drum (i is preferably a single, metal casting, formed so as to comprise two flat side members 16, 17 connected together by the several transverse walls of the drum, all of' which. serve to form the compartments through which flows the fluid adapted to bring' about the automatic closing' of the `agate after it has been opened. Vllhe transverse walls of drum G are arranged so Aas to provide, in conjunction withv side members 16, 1.7, two compartments through which the fluid is adapted to pass. The larger of these compartments 18 has in its outer wall 19 an oj'iening; 20 provided with closure 21 which may be removed for the purpose of inspecting' the inside of the drum and adjusting' the upper valve means when necessary. A second opening' 22 is also provided in this wall and has a closure 23 which may be removed in order that fluid maybe placed in the drum, and also permits access to the lower valve mechanism. The second or smaller compartment 24 of drum 6 is formed by transverse walls 25, 26, side members 1G, 17 of drum 6, and part of the inner wall 2'? of compartment 18. As will be` seen from Fig'. 2, compartment 24 is located to the right of compartment 18 on the opposite side of and below the axis of oscillation of the ,Q'ate when the latter is closed. Referring' further to Fier. 2, it will be seen that the lower portion of inner wall 27 oi compartment 18 is substantially in alignment with the axis of the gate, while the upper portion of compartment 18 is 'from the lower part of compartment 18 into the upper part ot the compartment. Connecting basin 2S and compartment 2-/1 throuoi all 29 ot' the basin is a port tl() havn an adjustable slide valve 31 cooperating' therewith. so that the sire ot said port may be varied in order to control the rapidity slowness with which the fluid located in basin 28 is permitted to flow into compartment 2stas indicated in Fig. 3. l2cferring' to Fig'. 2, the left hand wall of compartment 24 is shown as provided with a port, or ports, 32 normally closed by a flap valve $33 which latter, while it permits the luid which has passed from basin 28 into compartment 24: to flow past this valve into the lower part of compartment 1S. as shown in Fig. 2, in order to shift the preponderance of the weight of the grate structure to the left of its axis and thus lower the grate into horizontal position, prevents the parof the fluid from the lower part of compartment 18 directly into compartment 2li when the l@gate is again raised into vertical position and the fluid passes from the lower part of compartment 1 8 into basin 28 as shown in Figi'. lt has been found desirable to provide some means to prevent premature openingl of flap valve 33 and the consequent entrance of the fluid directly into compartment 2e which would probably happen were the entire left hand face of wall 27 of compartment 18 in a single plane from the bottom of drum 6, as shown in Fie'. 2, up to the axis of the grate. and flap valve 33 merely secured at its upper edge on this tace over port 22, This is accomplished in the torni of the invention shown in the accompanyin,Q- drawingby slightly offsettingzj to the right that portion of wall 27 of compartment 1.8 which forms the left hand wall of the smaller compartment 24. Thus, as will be clearly seen from 2, when flap valve 33 is secured in place it is located in a plane slightly to the right of the plane of the inner face of the lower portion of wall 27 whereby when. the .frate is open the fluid will flow across the face ot' the valve without any likelihood of getting beneath the lower edge of the valve and into compartment 24.

Operation: Before the fluid is placed within compartment 1S of the drum 6, the entire grate structure is carefully counterbalanced on its aXis ot oscillation by securing; suitable counterweiehts 84 to the drum in any desired manner. rThis having' been effected, a suitable fluid, such, for instance, as water, or an admixture of water and llt) glyccrine lo prevent 'freezing of the Yfluid in winter time, is then placed in the lower part of compartment 18 of drum 6 through opening 22, as shown in llig. 2. rthe parts being in the position indicated in this iigure, it will be seen that upon releasing the outer end of the gate from engagement with. latch 14 and the movement of the gate into vertical or full open position. the fluid will be caused to flow 'from the lower part of compartment 1S across flap valve 33 into basin 28, as shown in Fig. 3. 1n order to limit the movement of the gate and assure its not passing beyond a substantially vertical position, there is provided on drum G a cross rod 35 to which is secured at its inner end a spring stop member 36. Member 36 passes between two of the counterwei-ghts 34, and the latter, together' with the connection with cross rod 35, serves to retain the stop member in proper position. Stop member 36 is made sufficiently long to project well beyond the side members 16, 17 of drum 6 and is so located on the drum that. when the gate is swung upwardly, the end ofI spring stop member 36 will come into Contact with the rear edge of the base 1, upon which the gate structure is mounted, just as the gate reaches its vertical position. Stop member 36 will be flexed somewhat due to the tendency of the gate to continue its movement and will finally come in its vertical position without jar. The gate will stay in this full open position as long as the fluid remains in the basin 28 since the preponderance of weight of the `gate and the fluid are on the right hand side of the gates axis.

The gate being in its vertical or open position and the fluid in basin 28, the fluid will gradually flow from basin 28 into the lower part ot compartment- 21 through port 30. the rapidity of the movement of the fluid into compartment 24- being controlled by the manually adiustable valve 31. When the fluid has passed into compartment 24 the preponderance of the weight of the gate and fluid will have passed to the left hand side of the gates axis and the gate will gradually descend until, as wall 26 of compartment 24 approaches and passes its horizontal position, the fluid will flow through port 32, normally closed by flap valve 33, and into the lower part of the larger compartment 18, thereby effecting the complete closing of the gate and automatic latching thereof by reason of the engagement of latch member 13 with latch 14 on the upper end of post 15.

The operation hereinabove described is carried out in the same way every time the gate is opened. While the invention has been illustrated and described in its preferred embodiment as applied to a gate of' that type which oscillates vertically on a horizontal axis, it is contemplated that the invention may likewise be applied to gates ot other types. 1t is contemplated that numerous structural changes may be made in the preferred embodiment of the invention or to other types of gates to which the invention is applied without departing from the spirit of the invention, except as the same is limited by the appended claims.

1What 1 claim is:

1. A gate mounted to move from closed to full open position, and automatic fluidweight means set into operation upon movement of the gate to full open position to close the gate, said fluid weight means comprising the sole gate closing means.

2. A gate mounted to move from closed to full open position, and automatic fluidweight means set into operation immediately upon movement of the gate to full open position to close the gate. y

3. A gate mounted to move from closed to full open position, and automatic fluidweight means set into operation upon movement of the gate to full open position, said fluid-weight means being adjustable for varying the time within which the gate may be closed and comprising the sole gato closing means.

t. A gate mounted to move from closed to full open posit-ion; automatic fluidweight means set into operation upon movement of the gate to full open position, said means comprising a easing located on one end of the gate, said casing being divided into a` plurality of communicating compartments from one to the other of which a fluid may flow as a result of the movement of the gate to full open position and thence back to the first mentioned compartment to autoi matically close the gate, said fluid comprising the sole means for closing the gate.

5. In a. gate structure the combination of a support; a barrier portion; a drum mounted for oscillation on said support and having said barrier portion rigidly attached thereto at its inner end, said drum being divided into two compartments, one of said compartments being located on one side of the axis of said drum and the other on the. opposite side of said axis when the gate is closed; a fluid in the lower portion of the first mentioned compartment: means in the upper portion of said first-mentioned compartment to receive the fluid from the lower portion thereof, upon the opening of the gate, and to prevent its direct return to said lower portion, said fluid receiving means having an opening for said fluid in the lower portion thereof communicating with said second-mentioned compartment, while said second-mentioned compartment is provided with an opening for said fluid communicating with the lower portion of said rst-mentioned compartment; a valve controlling` said first-mentioned Opening; and :i valve controlling` said second-mentioned opening.

6. ln a gate structure the combination of a support; a. barrier portion; a drinn niorinted for oscillation on said support and having` said barrier portion secured thereto7 said drinn being divided into two compartments, one of whichV7 when the girate is closed, is located on one side of the axis of the drnn'i and extends above and below said axisvi und the other of which is located on the opposite side of and below said axis; a fluid in the lower portion of the first-mentioned conrpartmentr1 Said compartment having` a recess in the upper portion thereof located. above and on the opposite side of said axis to receive and prevent the. return of Said fluid to the lower 'portion of said compartment after the gate has been opened,y while Said recess is provided with a port for said fluid, in the lower portion thereof, communicating with the second-mentioned compartment and the second-mentioned `compartment has a` port communicating with the lower portion of the first-mentioned comH partment; an adjustable valve controlling' said rstmentioned port/5 and a` one-waT valve controlling` said second-mentioned port and opening into the lower portion or' said first-mentioned compartment.

7. A gate structure comprising in combination, a support; a casing mounted for oscillation on said Support; a barrier porn tion connected to said casing; a fl nid in said casing; a partition dividing said casing into two compartments. one of said compartments being .located on one side of and ein tending above and below the axis et iid gate and the other located on the opp` bile side of and below said axis, when the gate is closed7 .sa-id partition being provided with ports for said iinid connecting said lamimentioned compartment with the upper and lower portions of said first-mentioned oompartment; an adjustable valve eontrtdling;l said first-mentioned port; a cheek valve controlling` said second-mentioned port and opening' into the lower portion of said firstmentioned compartment, said vulve being' so located as to prevent premature opening thereof by the movement of the fluid in smid first-mentioned compartment upon the opening' of the gate; and means for eansinzgj the fluid in said casingto flow, wien the gate has been opened, from the upper portion of said iii 'st-mentioned compartment through said first-mentioned port into said 'secondmentioned compartment and thence into the lower portion of said first-mentioned Compartment to close the gate.

In testimony whereof l have signed my name to this specification. 

